Does faith automatically continue?

Does faith automatically continue?


Paul instructed that "(the) righteousness (of) God is-revealed in it FROM FAITH TO FAITH, just-as it-has-been-written: “But the righteous (one) SHALL-LIVE out-of FAITH" (Romans 1:17).

Paul implies that one should go from FAITH TO FAITH so as to LIVE out of FAITH.

Is going from FAITH TO FAITH automatic? 



FAITH does not automatically continue

For example, in the book of Acts, "Paul" (Acts 14:19) was "strengthening the souls (of) the disciples, ENCOURAGING (THEM) TO-CONTINUE-IN the FAITH" (Acts 14:22). 

There would have been no need for Paul to ENCOURAGE the disciples TO CONTINUE in the FAITH if their FAITH would automatically continue anyway without that. 

This conditional continuance of FAITH can explain why Paul used the conditional particle "IF" when he addressed for example "FAITHFUL brothers in Christ" (Colossians 1:2) by writing "IF indeed YOU-CONTINUE (in) the FAITH" (Colossians 1:22-23).



FAITH does not automatically continue after someone had FAITH. 

1 Timothy 6:

Paul wrote "(to) Timothy, genuine child in (the) FAITH" (1 Timothy 1:2) to "BE-PURSUING righteousness, godliness, FAITH" (1 Timothy 6:11). 

Timothy was already "in (the) FAITH" (1 Timothy 1:2) and yet Paul commanded Timothy to "BE-PURSUING" (1 Timothy 6:11) "FAITH" (1 Timothy 6:11). 

The Greek word for "BE-PURSUING" (1 Timothy 6:11) is in the imperative mood, which expresses a command to the hearer to perform something by the order and authority of the one commanding. Paul did not use the indicative mood in the Greek, which would simply have been a statement of fact that would have described something merely happening. 

The Greek word for "BE-PURSUING" (1 Timothy 6:11) is used by Paul elsewhere to express something that is not yet attained and is ahead, as Paul wrote: "forgetting the (things) behind and stretching-toward the (things) ahead, "I-AM-PURSUING TOWARD (THE) GOAL" (Philippians 3:13-14).


2 Timothy 2:

Paul even wrote a second epistle "(to) Timothy" (2 Timothy 1:2) in which he again wrote to Timothy to "BE-PURSUING righteousness, FAITH" (2 Timothy 2:22). 



FAITH is not automatically produced as the fruit of the Spirit. 

The fruit of the Spirit would not automatically be produced.

For example, Paul wrote that "FAITH" (Galatians 5:22) is part of "the fruit (of) the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22). 

Yet Paul also commanded elsewhere to "BE-PURSUING righteousness, FAITH" (2 Timothy 2:22).

The Greek word for "BE-PURSUING" (2 Timothy 2:22) is in the imperative mood, which expresses a command to the hearer to perform something by the order and authority of the one commanding. Paul did not use the indicative mood in the Greek, which would simply have been a statement of fact that would have described something merely happening. 

For further information:
Galatians 5:22-23 - Fruit of the Holy Spirit?:
Click here



FAITH may not necessarily continue:

Luke 8:

Jesus said that some people "ARE-BELIEVING FOR (A) TIME, and ARE(-DEPARTING)-FROM-STANDING in (a) time (of) testing" (Luke 8:13).

For more information on Luke 8:13:
Luke 8:13 - Believing for a time?:
Click here


1 Timothy 1:

Paul warned "Timothy, genuine child in (the) FAITH" (1 Timothy 1:2) to be "HAVING FAITH and (a) good conscience, which having-pushed-aside, SOME SUFFERED-SHIPWRECK with-respect-to the FAITH" (1 Timothy 1:19).


1 Timothy 4:

Paul warned "Timothy, genuine child in (the) FAITH" (1 Timothy 1:2) that "some WILL(-DEPART)-FROM-STANDING (from) the FAITH" (1 Timothy 4:1).


1 Timothy 6:

Paul warned "Timothy, genuine child in (the) FAITH" (1 Timothy 1:2) that "the love-of-silver is (a) root (of) all evils — aspiring-to which, some WERE-LED-ASTRAY FROM the FAITH" (1 Timothy 6:10), "But you, O man (of) God, be-fleeing these (things), and BE-PURSUING righteousness, well-worship, FAITH" (1 Timothy 6:11).

2 Timothy 2:

Paul wrote that some people "ARE-OVERTURNING the FAITH (of) some" (2 Timothy 2:18).


Hebrews 3:

It is written to "WE, the (ones) HAVING-BELIEVED" (Hebrews 4:3) to "Be-watching-out, BROTHERS, so that there-will not-ever be in any (of) YOU (an) evil heart (of) UNBELIEF in (DEPARTING-)FROM-STANDING from (the) living God" (Hebrews 3:12).


Hebrews 10:

It is written: "My righteous (one) WILL-LIVE BY FAITH. And IF (HE) DRAWS-BACK, My soul is not well-pleased with him" (Hebrews 10:38). So here a righteous person may be able to DRAW-BACK from LIVING BY FAITH


Hebrews 11:

It is written in Hebrews 11 about the "FAITH" (Hebrews 11:1) of many individuals, including "Abraham" (Hebrews 11:8) and "Moses" (Hebrews 11:23). 

One example given is the people whom Moses saved out of the slavery of Egypt, and how "(By) FAITH THEY-CROSSED THE RED SEA as through dry land — (of) which having-taken (the) test, the Egyptians were-swallowed-up" (Hebrews 11:29).

Yet several chapters earlier in Hebrews 3, it is written that those same people later would end up in "UNBELIEF" (Hebrews 3:19) and as a result their "CORPSES FELL in the wilderness" (Hebrews 3:17).

Here people had "FAITH" (Hebrews 11:29) at some point, and yet later had "UNBELIEF" (Hebrews 3:19) and died in that state.


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